Birthing unit's NOT attached to a NHS hospital

[pitchy]

hi there,

my first baby is due in July and yesterday, I went to Edgware Birthing Unit for a look around. It is totally midwife led, with a focus on water births. I thought it was fantastic, really chilled and relaxing a real 'home from home' environment.

I was well up for it, but when I told my husband about it, he got very nervous as the nearest hospital is a 10 minute drive away.

Has anybody else had a birth there? or at other midwife led units that are not in an NHS hospital?

thanks

I'm booked in a standalone MW unit, although it is NHS - Crowborough.

Mind you if this chuffing baby doesn't make an appearance in the next 8 days I won't be going there as they won't take you over 42 weeks

Yes, I went to a MLU about 15 miles away from the hospital. No problem. These units would not exist if they weren't incredibly safe; mine had an exemplary safety record.

If you want a home from home environment, where you know the midwives, and they will support you in a natural birth, then IMO MLU is the way to go.

I have given birth at barnet general twice and have been very happy.

I have friends who have given birth at Edgware birthing unit and they have been very happy too!

Barnet general in an ambulance is not far at all.

It's a decision you and your partner need to make, and I think you can change your mind later if you like, one way or the other.

Do bear in mind as well that if things change during the course of your pregnancy - they find the baby is breach or something, you won't be allowed to go to edgware. So when you make your decision please don't "pin all your hopes on it" just in case in the end you do something else.

I had one friend who was going to go to Edgware but when it came to it she changed her mind at the last minute and went to Barnet! Which was fine of course.

Really good luck with whatever you decide to do, it will be fine either way

Is there a local birthing unit you can go to which is attached to a hospital? I think the problem with a first labour especially is that you just don't know what it will be like however much you think you have read/been told about it.

I chose one which was as I liked the comfort factor of knowing that full medical support was available if needed. As I was induced when I was 2 weeks overdue, I had no choice and had to be in the "proper" unit which I ended up being very grateful for as, first, I had an epidural (which wouldn't have been available in the MLU) and when I decided that I was going to have one I wanted one NOW and, secondly (in order of timing of events rather than importance!), DD got stuck and her heart rate crashed so I got rushed into theatre. One doc managed to whip her out with forceps whilst another prepped me for a c-section. Whilst forceps would be available in MLU, a c-section wouldn't and both the docs and the midwives were amazed that they managed to get DD out with forceps (I did need a lot of stitches afterwards) and if they hadn't managed that I'm not sure DD would have survived even a 5 min journey to a hospital.

I don't want the above to alarm you but just help you make an informed decision and realise that the labour you plan may be very different to what actually happens.

thanks to you all for your help.

I think i am going to organise for my husband to come with me to view the unit. See where we go from there.

As i had IUI, for some reason, I am high risk, even though my pregnancy has been fine. Which is frustrating! Grrrr

I wanted to give birth to DS in our local MLU, it is part of our NHS hospital in our local town. But there are no consultants available and it was made clear from the start that i couldn't be induced or have ANY kind of intervention.

Due to complications which couldn't of been forseen as I had a very straight forward pregnancy and was considered low risk, I ended up being transferred to the RVI in Newcastle (30 miles so over 1/2 drive) by ambulance after I had been pushing for over an hour. It turned out to be shoulder dystocia.

I transferred back to MLU in my local home town (but had to make my way back myself) a few days later.

I agree that you need to make an informed choice. I would ask just what services are available to you at the MLU, if you needed to be transferred, would it be by ambulance, also could your DH travel with you in ambulance (mine couldn't and it cause enormous stress.

Hope everything works out for you. Keep us updated on how you get on !

xxx

DH and I had a look round the MLU in our area (10-15 mins away from the actual hospital) and I was glad we went together as he could see how nice it was too.

Unfortunately labour didn't progress as well as hoped so I ended up being transferred to hospital by ambulance after I had been pushing for approx 2 hours, though I did transfer back to the MLU afterwards for a couple of days which was great.

ALthough things didn't go according to plan, I am still hoping to go back there for my next labour (due in May) as it was such a nice environment.

pitchy if you are "high risk" I don't think they will let you give birth at edgware anyway?

I never went to look at it myself as i wanted to be near the doctors and also the option of epidural.

The people on postnatal group who saw it were very impressed - it is like a home from home apparently - and one gave birth there and had a really great experience.

Have a look at both and see what you think

I went to have a look at edgware but have decided that as homebirths midwifes carry all the same stuff as they have at edgware i'd rather be at home that edgware - don't really see the attraction - why not have at home rather than home from home?

i am trying to decide now whether to go the royal free birth centre (where DD and DS born) or whether to have a homebirth. I actually felt the birth centre at the royal free was very laid back (totally midwife lead) and of course if you do need medical assistance no need for an ambulance - although you have to go to labour ward (across corridor).

re: high risk - edgware have a list of risk factors - it will depend whether IUI is on their list. i have an underactive thyroid and providing this is under control at term then its ok to go there.

I had my son at the Brent Birthing Centre, which was at the Central Middlesex hospital in Park Royal. This did not have an antenatal unit attached.

I had to be transferred during my labour by ambulance to Northwick Park in Harrow. Never again!

First of all you have to get onto the stretcher, then endure a 10 minute drive and then get moved to the delivery room in another hospital.

This time I am booked at Northwick Park, as it has a birth centre in the hospital now, and is one of the better places to have your baby in NW london now.

Wow - thank you all so much for your responses. it is amazingly helpful. Ronx - i think what you are saying about the 10 minute journey has really resnated with me.

I am booked into see the consultant about being 'high risk' so will see what he says. but now I am really thinking about the birthing centre at Barnet.

thank you all again

Just to add - I had DD at EBC in 2006.

My experience was brilliant - lovely water birth. Had to go to Barnet Gen the next day though as I had bad tear due to dd arriving very very quickly and weighing 9lb & 11oz.

As others have said they will only take you if you are very low risk. I too had concerns about a transfer but they talked me through the likeliness and statistics are available.

Pitchy - have you been able to look at a MLU which is attached to a hospital and a normal delivery suite as well? I was pleasantly surprised at how "soft" the normal delivery suite which I gave birth in was. Admittedly it was pretty new so they might not all be like this but the delivery room had an ensuite with a bath (which looked larger than your average home bath) and shower in, the room itself had bean bags, mats, comfy chairs as well as the bed and all of the medical stuff was pretty hidden away. You could have your own music etc.

When you do go back to have another look Edgware do try and find out what really happens if you end up wanting an epidural. I'd been told by my local MLU that I would be transferred to the hospital if I wanted one but a doctor friend pointed out that, unless it was a very quiet day, that was unlikely as it would tie up an ambulance (which could be needed for emergencies) and a MW (one has to come with you in the ambulance). Unfortunately, there's not going to be an ambulance waiting outside the MLU to see how your labour progresses!